Hacking and Playing
by Zettezet
Summary: This is my first Fanfiction I wrote. If Zer0 really was a robot, He would be a self aware AI android. He works up the courage to tell Gaige but will she see him the same way she did before? Clean version ZeroXGaige
1. Self Aware

**Author Note:**** This is my first story again please be easy on me. **

**A lot of people tell me Zer0 is a robot, well I still ship it! **

**Zer0 would be a self aware android/robot kind of like ED-E from Mass Effect with emotions and every detail almost human like Harkness from Fallout 3. Not only that I imagine Zer0 being EX-Atlas property. **

**This chapter sort of gives Zer0 back story with small review of the game anyways ENJOY!**

Zer0 remembers the day he grew self aware.

He was an android assassin programmed to be the very best Atlas corporation could buy. Closest to human as they could get. They designed him so he could spot enemies weaknesses and learn from them. He could obtain knowledge and used it against his target. After so much successful assassinations things soon became repetitive and he began to notice. The very first emotion and thought he understood, boredom. After the fall of Atlas Corp. He was free and with that he understood happiness and joy. Slowly but surely Zer0 understood all emotions and thoughts and was a fully self aware AI android. Self aware... He liked that.

Programmed to be an assassin "Old habits die hard" as they would say, he killed and desired a challenge. Of course he would never would of thought that the desire of wanting a challenge would lead him to the adventure he had fighting Handsome Jack with his fellow Vault Hunters.

He remembers when he first meet them: Axton the commando with his two portable turrets, Maya a real actual siren with amazing other worldly powers, Salvador and his crazy double gun wielding and shooting everything, Krieg the psycho, who surprisingly was on our side, cutting with his buzz saw. Gaige with her robotic arm, grabbing Zer0 attention by amazing him when she summoned deathtrap into battle. Then the train exploded with them inside, into the freezing cold. He remembers when Claptrap first brought them to Sanctuary. He remembers First meeting the past Vault Hunters Lilith, Roland, Brick, and Mordecai. The deaths of Bloodwing, Angel and Roland the grief he felt was so different then what he was used to when it came to death, a price to pay to be self aware. The feel of thrill and rush of battling and shooting enemies. The look on a bandits faces when he used Decepti0n then moving only to have the holograph fade away the look of surprise on their face then turning only to meet a bullet from Zer0s gun.

Seem not to long ago that his fellow Vault Hunter took out the warrior and killed Handsome Jack. It felt good to have finally stopped his mad killing spree. He misses the adventures but to be honest to himself he has plenty of adventures with his fellow Vault Hunters whom he would like to call "friends".

"Friends" He thought to himself. He never really had any friends before, he was a merely an android assassin not even after he became self aware. Most people were to scared to be near him at all. Since emotions were something new to him it was hard for him to express them. Lucky his mask could express them with symbols. He grew close to his friends helping each out in battle and having great times after wards having laughs, drinks, and food at Moxxi's bar. He grew more closely to Gaige out of all of them. Not that he would ever show it of course, he was still to afraid to show it. He liked how she knew so much about robotics and how she was able to build Deathtrap all by herself. He enjoyed talking about that stuff with her a lot. How she could improve DT, Decoding, and hacking. He like to joke around with her and when she felt sad or homesick he would try his very best to cheer her up. Bring her hot chocolate, a new gun, and even giving her a brand new complete tool set like the one she had at Eden 5.

He could not describe the feeling he had for Gaige specifically, but all he knew is that he cared a lot about her as a friend who had a lot in common with him. She was someone that actually knew a lot about him, more she then she actually knew.

He has thought many times to tell her of what he was. The group would joke around sometimes and call him a robot, of course he would just brush it of with a ":-P" or an "LOL". Zer0 is scared that if he tells Gaige she would see less of him or worse she would try to HACK him. His worst fear was always been someone finding out was he really was and taking advantage when he was not paying attention and hacking him into being a mindless android again. He has taking many precautions setting up many firewalls in his mainframe to warn him if anyone would try such a thing and he could kill them in an instant. Of course he would not expect Gaige of all people to do that to him, he trust her after all the adventures and battles they have had together.

He continued to keep thinking as he rested in his bed in the room he shares with Axton and Salvador in the apartment he and his friends rent out at Sanctuary. Krieg slept in the couch in the living room, he could of shared the room with them but he had a habit of punching things in his sleep including him. Gaige shared a room with Maya though most of the time she was in the workshop where they kept tools weapons and junk. She would sleep in there with a roll out bed while hugging her tool box.

Everyone had gone out to Moxxi's to have a drink. He couldn't drink and he didn't feel like faking it like he always did to hide his identity since alcohol has no effect on him. He walked out of his room to the living room to maybe clean his guns to pass the time. He then heard a notice coming from the workshop. He reached for his katana on his side and quietly walked to the door. He entered with katana brought out and stopped as soon as he saw it wasn't an intruder, just Gaige working on her workbench. She turned around and lifted her goggles and smiled at him. He put back his sword embarrassed he should of known it was Gaige. She looked at him and then he realized that they were all alone now would be a perfect time to tell her the truth.

**Kinda sort I know, sorry! :P**

**REVIEW PLEASE! **

**I want to know if you would like to read more and if I should continue**

**Next Chapter I promise more stuff will happen! (If you all want to keep reading) **

**(PM me if you would like to give me suggestions on the story I am open to them!) **


	2. Bitter Sweet Feelings

**Author's note: This Chapter is seen through Gaige's point of view**

**Oh and thank you all for the support and reviews! They really help :)**

Gaige didn't really feel like going to Moxxi's with the other Vault Hunters. She had this project in mind that Zer0 showed her that upgrades Deathtraps laser. Though having a night out would have been fun, this would be the only extra time she would have to get started on it. She walked back to the apartment

"Nobody's home, of course" She walked to her favorite room, the workshop. She enjoyed building things a little more now that she has a great tool box that Zer0 gave her. Zer0 was saving the toolbox for when she needed to cheer up. She remembers she was crying about how much she misses her family back in Eden 5 and he brought it out. She was more crying and hugging him instead of actually saying Thank you.

She blushed at the thought of all the nice things Zer0 has done for her as a friend. She admits that she likes him. They way he would do anything to cheer her up, their talks of guns, battling, hacking, robotics. It really surprised her that a ninja assassin such as Zer0 knew so much about that kind of stuff. Luckily for her it just means someone to talk about a subject she loved so much.

She really wishes she could say something to Zer0 about her feelings. She really never had anyone on Eden 5 that made her feel this way. She really hopes that Zer0 feels the same but she is pretty sure he only sees her as a friend. Still if she ever got the chance to be with Zer0 she would not give that up.

She shook the thought of Zer0 as much as she could

"I cant get distracted, this is me time after all." She put on her goggles and got started on upgrading Deathtraps laser just like Zer0 showed her.

She was finally doing the final adjustments to the laser when she heard the door open. She turned around and removed her goggles to see Zer0 with his katana out. He seemed to embarrassingly put it back in place when he realized it was her. She could not help but smile at him.

"What's up Zer0, check it out I finally upgrading the laser just like you showed me" She held it up to show him. Zer0 face had a ":)" He was glad from what she could tell

"Impressive Gaige" He said while examining the laser. She couldn't help but smile like an idiot. It was hard to Impress Zer0 he would always find something wrong with something and showed her how to improve it. As much as she hated someone correcting her work she didn't mind when it came from Zer0. She was learning and improving more then she thought she ever could by herself at Eden 5. Another reason why she liked Zer0 so much.

"Gaige If I may ask/ I would like to tell you /something very important" Zer0 said in haiku which he did from time to time. Gaige blushed a bit, she wondered if maybe he was gonna tell her that he likes her just as much as she likes him. They are all alone in the apartment after all it was a perfect time.

"I have something to ask to" She said hopeful, her mind was so full of questions like: If he feels the same way as she did, If she could see what is under his mask, If she could kiss him after he took it off. "but you can go first" she said quickly so she wouldn't ruin the moment.

Zer0 took a deep sign and it troubled Gaige.

"I am not what you think I am"

Gaige looked at Zer0 like he was crazy "What do you mean? You're Zer0 the bad ass ninja assassin right?"

"Yes I am but you must understand that is merely my title, I am not like you... I am not human" He took a deep breath while Gaige stood in silence waiting for him to continue.

"I have keep this a secret from everyone, I am a self aware android ninja assassin built by the Atlas Corporation." He finally said "I am closest to human they could build I can even feel pain and even emotions though they are still kind of new to me."

Gaige stood there and a shocked look on her face. Was Zer0 really an android like he is saying? It made a lot of sense now that she thinks about it, she wondered how he knew so much about Robotics and computers. Gaige couldn't help but feel crushed by this though. The guys she was falling for, who she really care about and wanted to be with, is a robot who probably can even have the capability of falling in love.

"Oh" Was all that came out of her mouth

"I hope you don't see/ me different now that you know/ the truth about me"

"No I wont, Of course not! How could I? I mean you're still Zer0 the bad ass ninja assassin I've always known and will always be." she said slightly rambling with a fake smile over her broken heart.

"I'm glad you are/ accepting you are the first person/ I have ever told." He said and hugged her

She really didn't want to hug Zer0 she wanted to run and cry because she knew it would never work out. She really needed to be alone right now to clear her mind. Gaige pulled away from Zer0 who was slightly confused by it.

"Since were all alone I though maybe we could do something like shoot claptrap from the roof like we used to" Zer0 said since he really wanted to spend sometime with Gaige since he feels closer to her after telling her the truth.

"I would love to but I was already kinda busy before you came here" She said not wanting to show to much emotion. She put on her goggles when she felt teary eyed to hide them. "Some other time I promise"

"If you say so" and He left the room

Gaige turned around and took off her goggles showing that she was crying. She wish she didn't have feeling for Zer0 anymore. She hates that she likes him and she would not get any of the same feeling back. She need to get over him but part of her refuses thinking that there may still be a change. She really doubts it though.

**The SADNESS! D: I tried really hard in the chapter and I got so many writers blocks from this Chapter hopefully it's good enough.**

**Luckily I got a story pictured out in my head as of right now and the next few chapters will be easier to put down in words.**

**Review please! **

**(Again, I am open to suggestion just PM me and we'll talk :) ) Thanks for reading!**


	3. Confusion

**Authors note: This was part was suppose to be a lot shorter and attached to the next chapter but I kinda got carried away. **

**So I deiced to turn it into a short chapter. Enjoy! :)**

Its been about 2 and half weeks since Zer0 told Gaige what the truth about him. He thought that telling her would bring them closer together but lately she has been avoiding him. Every time he would try to offer something to do together she would make up an excuse and promise to do it later. At first Zer0 didn't mind until he noticed Gaige stopped drinking the hot cocoa he would make for her.

He noticed she was crying one night in the workshop and made some for her to cheer up. Using his Decepti0n he sneaked it next to Gaige on her workbench where she was crying. He looked on from the behind the door. He noticed Gaige saw it but ended up crying even more when she saw it and left it untouched.

Zer0 was very confused by this. Usually when she was homesick little things he did like hot cocoa and spending time with her would cheer her up, but nothing was working. It seemed the more he tired the more Gaige would be upset and try harder to avoid him.

He was terribly confused and need to seek advice from someone to what exactly was going on. The last thing he wanted was to loose the friendship he had with Gaige since he cared so much about her.

He went to Axton for advance since Axton was always like a Father figure to Gaige. He was at Moxxi's with Salvador playing cards.

"I would have to say that she has a crush on you" He said while dealing some cards. "Our little Vault Hunter is all grown up"

"What?" Zer0 said with a "?" being displayed on his helmet.

"Well don't be so surprised Zer0 from what I can tell you like her to"

"Do not be foolish/I am not capable to/do such a thing."

"I can tell, the way you look after her caring so much when she is upset. Trying your hardest to make her happy. They way she looks at you when you aren't paying attention. I'm surprised you two haven't hooked up yet." Axton said smiling "Reminds me of someone I used to know back in the day" He said looking down at the rings on his necklace he was playing with. He had a distance look in his eyes.

"You probably think you can't fall in love because you haven't before Chico." Salvador said with a cigar in his mouth. "Sounds loco but trust me as much as you deny it, the feeling will catch up to you and bite you in the ass. All you can do amigo is let it happen"

Still didn't make sense to Zer0 at first. He did care for Gaige a lot and couldn't stand the thought of loosing her. Perhaps Axton was right, these emotions were very new to Zer0, maybe it is love. He could feel grief and happiness, there was nothing stopping him to feel like that towards Gaige.

"Zer0!" He heard a familiar voice call out his name he turned around to see the siren with Kreig following behind her.

"Maya" called out Axton "You're just in time I'm giving some love advice to Zer0 over here"

Zer0 displayed a "-_-" on his helmet. He would prefer Axton to keep the situation on the down low.

"Oh really?" she said turning her head towards Zero and back and Kreig with a smile "Maybe you could use some of those smooth moves to cheer up Gaige she has been upset lately" She said

"I have been trying/my hardest to cheer her up/but nothing is working"

"ASK FOR BLOODY PIES OF FEELINGS TO THE SHORT ONE!" Kreig shouted

Maya giggled a little bit at Kreig's shouting "He means just ask her why she is so upset" She said "why don't you talk to her right now shes on the roof of the base"

"I will and Thank you."

"Go get her Zer0!" Axton said lifting his drink to toast, as did the rest of the Vault hunters, as he left the bar even Moxxi gave an encouraging nod towards him. His helmet displaying a ":)" Once more he was glad he had friends at a time like this to encourage him.

**I know this is short sorry! **

**I tired to involve all of the group in this chapter sort of a friendship atmosphere.**

**Yes, there is a hint of KreigXMaya. C:**

**Please Review! **


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